Speaking on the fringes of the TUC gathering in Brighton, Bakers Union boss Ronnie Draper called for strike laws to be ignored, saying: “They’re not going to lock us all up – there aren’t enough jails.”
He raged: “We should be balloting for a general strike.”

“We need something that’s going to be a threat to government. Yes, if it needs bringing the Government down, then all the better.”

Unite boss Len McCluskey reminded supporters that he “took the issue out of our rule book about always acting inside the law.

“We took that out because we know that if the bosses and the privileged elite want to push us outside the law, so be it. It won’t stop us standing up.”

Getty Images - Getty

Unions have donated more than £27million to Jeremy Corbyn

And Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell told the gathering that Labour MPs would be on the picket likes to show “solidarity”.

And he appeared to back coordinated action saying he would support unions that work “together.”

Mr McDonnell also risked a sexism row after claiming strike action by British Airways cabin crew was “probably the most attractive and beautiful picket line I have ever been on.”